NHL Music Scene: Shake it Up

Like a 2000 automobile with a vibrating steering wheel and uneven tire wear, the NHL needed to realign its divisions. The league also needs to reinvent the in– game music experience. Boston needs more Cars, and the NHL needs more of what DJ T. Campbell does in the Motor City.

Like Campbell, the marketing department at the Staples Center is on the right track; the Los Angeles Kings ask their fans to vote for the music, and they publish the playlist. So too, do the New York Rangers; the musical lineup sometimes includes Billy Joel’s “New York State of Mind.”

Why don’t other teams ask their fans what they want to hear, or least consider giving “Crazy Train” (sorry, Ozzie) and Black Betty (no disrespect, Ram Jam) a rest?

To jazz things up in each of the NHL’s arenas, I propose that each home team not only provide a forum, an app or whatever to prompt fans for input but to also that they play tunes that pay homage to the locals. Kind of like the restaurant scene these days, the local farm–to–fork movement. Big name bands and lesser-known indie groups would all get airplay.

I dig the notion that music is a universal connector, so why not provide fans with alternatives, and not just alternative rock. Or jock rock. Or hair bands. Give the in–game music mavens a chance to mix their own music and collaborate with fans.

Let’s start with the Atlantic Division.

Boston Bruins: My proposition is almost as simple as A–B–C. I’m talking about Aerosmith, Boston and the aforementioned Cars. No other arena gets to play “Sweet Emotion,” “More Than a Feeling” or “Shake it Up.” Territorial rights is, I believe, a start. How about infusing the arena with what Boston–based band The Heartsleeves calls “neoeclectic soul.” Lead singer Jared Lucas Nathanson wrote a song about the New England Patriots, so I’m confident he could submit a hockey fan- friendly tune to the Bruins, if only that online opportunity was available. A song or two from Western Mass: Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers, anyone? I recommend “The Bear.” Or back closer to Boston, consider Nancy Beaudette. “When the Last Whistle Blows” isn’t about referees or hockey, but it’s upbeat and her voice is “Something Beautiful.”

Buffalo Sabres: I love the Goo Goo Dolls—went to their concert in Manchester, NH a few weeks ago. Great show.  But “Slide,” “Better Days” and the Buffalo band’s latest, “Rebel Beat,” should not be played in the TD Garden or anywhere else but in the First Niagara Center. How about Natalie Merchant, born in Jamestown, NY? She isn’t known for any raucous, raise-the-roof kind of music, but it would be nICE if 19,070 Sabres fans were treated to a 10,000 Maniacs song, maybe a melody from Campfire Songs? Or a sentimental song, say “Reilly,” from Attica, NY’s Penny Whiskey?

Detroit Red Wings: I’ve never been to “the Joe,” so I couldn’t tell you if “Wango Tango” or other stuff by Ted Nugent, a.k.a., “The Motor City Madman” is played. I imagine Mr. Campbell is way ahead of me here. Has Octopus Al (the Red Wings mascot) put feelers out to the local college music scene? Maybe a nascent garage band could be featured once a month.

Toronto Maple Leafs: Great job with barefoot hockey video featuring “Footloose” (and grand color commentary that includes references to Adam Foote and Toe Blake). Play your BNL and Bryan Adams, for sure, but give your fans a voice when it comes to music choice. I suggest Silvergun and Spleen or another “Band of the Day” listed at TorontoMusicScene.ca.

Florida: Tough call on who gets to play Gloria Estefan and/or the Miami Sound Machine. Maybe both the Panthers as the Lightning both call Central Florida home. Who claims Tom Petty and Sister Hazel, both with roots in Gainesville? I do know the team in Sunrise publishes its playlist. The Panthers might look southwest to its in–state rivals for guidance on in–game entertainment, however: The team in Tampa has a music man, Sean Bovelksy. I’ve not yet been to a game at the Tampa Bay Times Forum (or the BB&T Center in Sunrise), but I bet Mr. Bovelksy has a good beat on things.

Montreal Canadiens: “Shippin’ Up to Boston” or anything else by the Dropkick Murphys ought to be outlawed at le Centre Bell. Habs fans have a forum (but not a Forum) to discuss their musical tastes, but the marketing department for Les Glorieux doesn’t appear to post playlists. I like what “Stevo” at AllHabs.Net had going in 2010 but would like to see more initiative from the team. For example, the Canadiens could play Claude Cormier’s song, “Mon Hockey,” at least until Quebec City gets a team. Perhaps Puckbite (happy third anniversary, J. –P.) can offer further insight or recommend a song or artist, but I’m all for hoisting the Cranes into the musical spotlight. I believe in “Believe.”

Ottawa Senators: Not to be upstaged by DJ Campbell or Mr. Bovelsky, Alex Marchand has a good thing going in O–Town. Fans can request songs via Twitter. How many have requested Hall & Oates’s “You Make My Dreams Come True,” quite possibly the greatest get-your-groove-thing-a-going song of all time. But rules is rules. Daryl and John hail from Philly, so the Flyers would lay stake to “Private Eyes, “Wait for Me” and Sara Smile.

More on the Flyers and other teams later.

Bruins Recap: Fours

The Boston Bruins are back on Beantown’s sports radar, and I’m back to blogging about them here. Every week, I’ll expand upon the commentary I and other hard-core fans have made at HFBoards and on the New England Hockey Journal Radio Show (NEHJRS).

The secret to the Black and Gold’s success is not the nifty new third sweater design but rather balance. Everyone is contributing, so the team can roll all four lines. So with that in mind, I’ll keep these four shifts short:

4 Even before Saturday night’s 4–1 win over the Wings, the Bruins—with their 15–4–0-4 record, were earning more attention in the Boston Globe. Check out what’s on Marc Savard’s iPod and what’s on the equipment manager’s To-do list.

4Globe writer and NEHJRS co-host Kevin Paul Dupont’s handle at HFBoards is “Hub of Hockey”. Keeping rhyming in the reasoning, that means twineminder Tim Thomas (not even on the NHL All-star ballot, which lists ten other goalies) is the Snub of Hockey. And the Four’s Restaurant and Sports Bar, official sponsor of the NEHJRS trivia question, is the Pub of Hockey.

4On Saturday’s show, regular caller “Kevin from Melrose” provided a nickname for Bruin rookie forward Blake Wheeler: “Mambo Mosaic of Minnesota.” Clever, Kev, but too long. I say shorten it to “3M”, a prominent Minnesota company.

4The only game the B’s lost last week was in Buffalo. The loss doesn’t bother me so much—can’t win ‘em all—as the post-game party tune. Sabres marketing, which in a game last year used “I’m Shippin’ Up to Boston”, pilfered our play list again, this time serenading the bah-bah-bahing crowd with “Sweet Caroline.” I suggest that, in protest, Marc Savard remove from his iPod any tunes by the Buffalo-based band, the Goo Goo Dolls.

Until next time, when the B’s are hopefully 18–4–0-4, happy hockey days.

Where's Stanley?

Photo courtesy of nino63004 at flickr.com

Since June 6th, when the Red Wings won Lord Stanley’s gift to hockey, I hadn’t paid much attention to the cherished chalice’s whereabouts.

Hockey wasn’t even on my mind as I walked through my neighborhood on Thursday afternoon. I was enjoying an unencumbered blue sky and an uplifting Savage Garden tune on my iPod—until Stanley snuck up on me.

Woof! Woof!

My heart raced as I jerked my head to the right. The black beast with a graying muzzle kept barking but did not attack. Like a reluctant forechecker, he kept his distance.

A kid jogged across the street to calm the canine as I continued my walk, steadying my nerves.

Then I turned around.

“What’s his name?” I asked the kid.

“Stanley.”

I squatted and extended my right hand, palm up, toward the dog. Stanley padded along the pavement. Upon reaching me, he licked my hand and then let me pet him.


Since Thursday, I’ve passed Stanley’s place three times, hoping to touch—or at least see—him again. No such luck.

Where’s Stanley?

The encounter with the canine has dogged me, triggering thoughts about the other, more storied Stanley—the one that has taken a dip into Mario Lemieux’s pool and from which Clark Gilles’s dog has eaten.

So where’s Stanley?

From Hockeytown to Tinseltown to Toronto, the Stanley Cup has been busy on the entertainment circuit: Stanley has made appearances at Cheli’s, on The Tonight Show, at the Love Guru movie premiere, and on the NHL Awards Show.

I don’t know where the dog or the Cup is now, but I’m going to keep checking the street where my new dog friend lives and the Web address tracking the Cup’s summer travels.